PREFACE, 16-20 



peace of mind, and to have rendered this service to the 

 Roman nation and not to himself. As Domitus Piso 

 says, it is not books but store-houses that are needed ; 

 consequently by perusing about 2000 volumes, very 

 few of which, owing to the abstruseness of their 

 contents, are ever handled by students, we have 

 collected in 36 volumes 20,000 noteworthy facts 

 obtained from one hundred authors that we have ex- 

 plored, with a great number of other facts in addition 

 that were either ignored by our predecessors or have 

 been discovered by subsequent experience. Nor 

 do we doubt that there are many things that have 

 escaped us also ; for we are but human, and beset 

 with duties, and we pursue this sort of interest in 

 our spare moments, that is at night — lest any of your 

 house should think that the night hours have been 

 given to idleness. The days we devote to you, and 

 we keep our account with sleep in terms of health, 

 content even with this reward alone, that, while we 

 are dallying (in Varro's phrase) with these trifles, we 

 are adding hours to our hfe — since of a certainty to be 

 aUve means to be awake. Because of these reasons 

 and these difficulties I dare make no promise ; the 

 very words I am writing to you are supphed by your- 

 self. This guarantees my work, and this rates its 

 value; many objects are deemed extremely precious 

 just because of the fact that they are votive 

 offerings. 



As for your sire, your brother and yourself, we have 

 dealt with you all in a regular book, the Hlstory of 

 our otvn Times, that begins where Aufidius's history 

 leaves off. Where is this work ? you will enquire. 

 The draft has long been finished and in safe keeping ; 

 and in any case it was my resolve to entrust it to my 



13 



